The first electric car delivered at Murundaka cohousing community has moved Earth Co-op’s living vision closer to realisation. Although quite momentous it is not the first significant step to be taken. This group is part of a local groundswell addressing significant challenges and helping society transition to a more just and sustainable world.
First came the Roof. Earth Co-op’s vision of an aware, engaged and neighbourly community opened the way for the 2011 arrival of cohousing strategically situated in the suburbs of Banyule. By replacing three co-located houses with apartment buildings for eighteen households, the vision of restorative living was enabled and, sitting within that, is the Energy Freedom plan.
The Solar Lounge Festival fund-raiser had strong local support and, with commitments from friends and residents, made the purchase of the Panels possible. Eventually, after waiting ten months for higher efficiency technology to arrive, a 17.05 kWp Grid Connected Solar system of sixty-two panels was installed, collecting beautiful, clean energy from the sun.
Catalysing the impetus to replace energy-intensive halogen and flouro lights with LEDs in both private homes and the Common House, the goal is not just maximising efficiency and going solar at Murundaka. Steering away from dangerous global warming and treating it like the emergency it is means rapidly detaching from fossil fuel energy. The next part of the Energy Freedom package is exploring the replacement of gas.
Participating in, showcasing and fostering wider change, helping build the groundswell of the Sustainability Renaissance is the opportunity of our era and every step matters. The Car arrived yesterday – a Holden ‘Volt’ hybrid sedan – joining the three electric bikes to help Murundaka close the loop between roof, panels and the sun’s free energy.
Giselle Wilkinson 